Record players commonly comprise a turntable system with a tonearm that swings horizontally/laterally about a fixed pivot axis. The fixed pivot axis is typically located adjacent to a perimeter of a platter of the turntable system. A stylus of the tonearm typically travels through an arc as it tracks a groove in a record, such as shown in FIG. 1 (prior art).
However, as is commonly accepted, it is desirable that the stylus travels a single radius path as it moves radially inward across the face of a record, rather than in an arc, within the record groove during play, approximating a consistent tangent path, or a linear tracking path (e.g., relative to concentric groove portions). It is also commonly accepted that lack of such linear tracking can cause tracking distortions, and undesirable stylus/groove side pressures on a side of the stylus because of the frictional force (e.g., “skating force”) between the stylus and the walls of the groove of the record.
Furthermore, lack of linear tracking of the stylus movement within the record groove can be especially undesirable for stereo records containing separate audio channels on opposite sides of the record groove. That is, the lack of linear tracking can disturb audio balance as a result of unbalanced side pressures on the grooves.
Although some prior art tonearms provide or approximate linear tracking, they are often very complex (increasing associated expense), or do not achieve the desired goal.